Olmsted Park

Your Guide

Olmsted Park was designed as a chain of picturesque freshwater ponds, alternating with attractive natural groves and meadows. The park has the second-largest area of historic forest in the Emerald Necklace, with 17 acres of forest cover.

The park has three major ponds: Leverett, Willow and Wards. Babbling Brook, a watercourse, connects them. There are six historic pedestrian bridges, along with multi-use bike and pedestrian paths and stone headwalls, all sheltered from the city by woodland areas.

The park, which forms the broader segment of the Muddy River improvements, is part of the linear park system connecting the Back Bay Fens and Jamaica Pond.

The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, John Charles Olmsted, and Charles Eliot.

The Sanitary Improvement of the Muddy River, 1881

Image: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

From Allerton Overlook over Leverett Pond, 1900

“From Tremont Street, southwardly to Jamaica Pond, the waters widen out into pools and ponds, connected by a rapid brook. Besides the scenery a more varied Parkway, the road on the Boston side has been named Jamaica-way, thus, indirectly, by change of name, recognizing the change of landscape character. The public way on the Brookline side is named Brookline Road, the use of the word "road" being appropriate to its rural character.” -- Frederick Law Olmsted, Town of Brookline, Reports, 1889-1890.